NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1927, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Boyal Sleeping Car. A trial run of tho sleeping car for the use of the Duke and Duchess of York through the North Island was made on Thursday. Built at Petone railway workshops, the, 'oar contains several new features, and is an improvement on the "de luxe" sleeping car designed by Mr. G. S. Lynde, the Railways Chief Mechanical Engineer. ■ It is slightly wider, all steel framed, and bears the Royal Coat of Arms. There are nine two-berth cabins, each fitted with an electric fan. The car is painted the new railway colour, Midland red. Loss by Landslide; ■■ \ An accident involving the loss of three valuable horses'belonging to Mr. W. Coghlan occurred at'Pukeuri, recently, says an. exchange. A reaper and binder was at work on the side of a hill %vhen it encountered a landslide. The binder and horses were hurled for a considerable distance down the hill; One horse had its neck broken, another was disemboweled, and a third suffered such injuries that it had to be destroyed. The driver fortunately escaped injury. What Children Swallow. Among the hundreds of minor operatious performed, at the Auckland Hospital many are upon children- who have swallowed small objects, ranging from coins and nuts to whistles and magnifying glasses, tho latest patient bem* a girl, aged nine, who, swallowed a wooden whistle. The operation in such cases, although not serious, is a delicate one. A long tube, writes "The Post s" Auckland correspondent,. ,is passed down the windpipe with a small electric light bulb attached, which • assists m locating the swallowed article A special pair of forceps; is used to' grasp the object if it has not found its way to the abdominal organs, in which case an incision is sometimes necessary. However it is , very rarely that much difficulty is experienced in locating such play things accidentally swallowed by children. ■"..■.-. Tanks Getting Low. '■ Were it not for . the Oroiigorongo water supply , Wellington; would now probably be feeling the effect of three weeks' hot and dry weather, but as it -is the Karori reservoir, from W M c h Orongorongo water is distributed to the city, is kept at good-level, and normal city pressure is, maintained..- Mr. J H. Morice, the Waterworks Engineer! states that when he Msited the Orongorongo: waterworks, early in the week the nver was carrying a good body of water. Just at present the Orongorongo- 1 Karori main is shut off at night, as the caretaker's house in the valley is' not yet completed; and it is considered inadvisable to keep the main open and unattended on account .of damage which might be caused by sudden'hcd-vy : ireshes;. People who are 'dependent upon tank supplies, particularly at' the bays, are becoming very anxious about the ram that does not come, and resi,dents of- Eastbourne and Day's Bay have been warned to conserve water in. every reasonable way; hosing is prohibited. Mangahao dams are at fair level for occasional, showers have fallen there, but full security will not be had until the third dam, now Tinder construction, is in. commission. American Walkers-Tour. ' Just a year ago Mr. "William Wolf, ■ a member of the Legion of American Disabled War Veterans, decided on a stroll round the world, ana set out fro^ni Los Angeles in California, his chief assets being a baritonß voice ami a haversack to carry his few belongings (says the Auckland "Star"). Singing, lecturing, and staying at one place just until lie had accumulated enough wealth to carry him on to the next, the tourist has completed a tour of the American States, Mexico, and Canada. He next visited Honolulu ana Fiji, and is now-in Auckland. After spending a week or two in Auckland, he will set out on foot for Wellington, calling at Eotorua on the way in order to make a few comparisons with the . famed Yellowstone Park ,of his own country. Later, he is hopeful of visiting Australia, the East, and eventually working his way across Europe before making his way home. In addition to credentials the tourist carries an autograph book, and has obtained the signatures of leading people in the various countries he has visited. He hasstarted the New Zealand section with the'autograph of the Mayor of Auckland. "Half :the world doesn't know what the other half is doing," he remarked in Auckland. He confessed that he had already discovered that Australia was not nearly as close to New Zealand as he had imagined when he set out on his journey. He regards a casual stroll round the globes as a much more interesting way. of doing things than travelling by a palatial Carinthia. His views on things in general are to be published by one of the American magazines. A Lucky Power BoaVd. ■ Between £7000 and £8000 worth of electrical- machinery and equipment or* dered by the Poverty Bay Power Board was included in the cargo of the Northumberland, which put into Gisborno a few days ago in a leaking condition. Fortunately it was all consigned to Auckland, and was discharged at that port prior to the vessel continuing her ill-fated voyage. Had the machinery been still aboard the vessel, it is almost certain that delivery would have had to be refused, and the board operations considerably hampered. The consignment on the ' Northumberland comprised delicate electrical equipment, and the risk of using it if it had come in contact with sea water would have been so great that the board would have had to reject the material and place another order. This would have meant a delay of six months and a revision of the board's financial and constructive programmes. It is a strange coincidence that the Kent, which was afire when berthed at Auckland in September, 1925,' had on board electrical equipment for the Wanganui Power Board similar ij that now on the Northumberland for the Poverty Bay body. In that instance, says the Poverty Bay '' Herald, " the board was less fortunate, as the whole of the shipment had to be replaced, serious delay being caused to the work. Profit in Roll-downs. • A witness at a bankruptcy meeting yesterday stated that he ran a "rolldown" in Queen street, telegraphs "Tho Post's" Auckland correspondent. It was not a very big one, but his takings on good days were in the vicinity of £120, while on poor days they "panned out" at from £70 to; £90.

The Study of Lichens. "Many years ago lichens were used, during times of economic stress, in making bread, and they have also played a part in the distilling of whisky, but I am studying them for quite a different purpose," said Dr. E. Einar dv Rietz, the Swedish scientist, who is at present in Christchurch, to a representative of the "Press." "I am making a very extensive collection of all the different specimens in New Zealand. They have no actual economic value, apart from what I have mentioned, but are invaluable as indicators of suitable climates for different forest trees. The lichens give us a far more exact idea of the moisture conditions in forests than any instruments. When such a study ia carried out scientifically, the results are of immense value."

The new concrete fence and ornamental iron gates in front of the Hutt Valley High School have, now been completed, the • caretaker's cottage is well on the way to completion, and the drill and tennis court area is waiting for its final coat of tar and sand. It is stated that the military pageant and tatoo in Auckland is attracting dense crowds of people, the Domain being packed with onlookers. The pageant of the queens is received with warm applause, the performers in all the events are warm to their work, and the displays are of a high order of excellence. If the weather, holds till to-day, when there is a matinee as well as the evening performance, it is stated that a great success will have been obtained, also that those who'saw the Wembley pageant are of opinion that the New Zealand one loses nothing by comparison. ' '